Child&#39;s merry-go-round



March 19, 1957 c. H. ELLIS 2,785,896

CHILDS MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed May 24, 1954 INVENTOR. anew/amaze HELL/s BYM6064 qgflmmr Un ed 3W8 P w? CHILDS MERRY-GO-ROUND Cadwalader H. Ellis,Seattle, Wash. Application May 24, 1954, Serial No. 431,894

1 Claim. (Cl. 272-33 This invention relates to amusement devices andmore particularly to improvements in devices for use by and for theamusement of children. Furthermore, the invention relates to a novelform of device which is of the nature of a small carousel, ormerry-go-round, and which hereinafter will be referred to as a carousel.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide acarousel that is easily portable and especially adapted for use on alawn, or in a play roomythat is safe for use by small children; thatwill accommodate several children at the same time, and which has fewparts and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

More specifically stated, the objects and advantages of I the presentinvention reside in the provision of a portable carousel for use bychildren, that comprises a base struc ture upon which a smooth circularplatform is mounted for axial rotation about a central standard, and ahandle member that is fixed to the base for support above and centrallyof the platform; the platform being disposed quite close to thesupporting surface on which the base structure may be disposed with aperfectly smooth top surface and adapted to be manually rotated axiallyabout the standard by the children sitting or riding thereon throughtheir grasping and pulling on the handle member.

Further objects and advantages of the present carousel reside in thedetails of construction of parts comprised therein, in their combinationand functional relationship, and in the mode of use of the device aswill hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention,I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferredforms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a central, vertical section of the device, which I refer toherein as a carousel, embodied by the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top, or plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the present carousel.

Fig. 4 is a detail showing one of the platform supporting rollers asapplied to the base structure.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail of parts of the device.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

Heretofore, devices of a character somewhat similar to the presentcarousel have been disclosed in various patents issued over a period ofmany years. For example, U. S. Patent No. 1,935,040, discloses aturn-table on which devices, simulating various animals, are fixed forchildren to ride on. Also, in U. S. Design Patent No. 167,860, seats forchildren are mounted on a base structure and are adapted to be rotatedabout a central standard by the riders grasping and pulling on acentrally 2 in the form of a seat, chair, or the like that wouldinterfere with the present intended mode of use of the device.

Referring more in detail to the present drawings:

The base structure of the present device comprises a plurality ofhorizontally directed beams or arms 10, that project radially from acommon center and in the same horizontal plane. The structure asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprise three wooden beam forming members,laid in crossed relationship, interlocked and rigidly joined. Thesepartsmay be secured together by any suitable means. In the present showing,there are six of the radially directed arms 10, and they are illustratedas being'fabricated of wood, but might be of any other suitablematerial, such as, for example, aluminum bars. ltis the intent that thisbase structure be as low in height as practical and that, in use, itshall be disposed flatly upon a lawn, floor or other suitable supportingsurface, either inside or out-of-doors. In devices now being built,these arms are approximately two feet long.

Fixed on the base structure, at the axial center and top side thereof,is a wooden block 12, and rigidly secured .to this block to extendvertically upward therefrom, is a rod or standard 13. As herein shown,this rod is of metal and is welded at its lower end to extendperpendicularly from a flat. metal plate 14, and this plate is halted orotherwise rigidly fixed to the block 12 and to the base structure ascomprised by the radial arms 10. Overlying the plate 14, about thestandard, is a wood spacer or washer 15 and disposed upon and againstthis about the standard is a metal plate or washer 16.

Mounted to revolve about the standard 13 is a horizontal platform 18.This platform is perfectly fiat and is preferably of the circular formshown in Fig. 2. Presently, the platform is being made of five-eighthsinch plywood, and is approximately four feet in diameter. Its topsurface is smooth and polished for a purpose presently apparent.

At its center, the platform 18 is equipped with a metal hub 20, formedwith 'a projecting flange 21 at its lower end that may be fastened bycountersunk screws, or the like, to the platform. The hub has a borethat receives the rod or standard 13 therethrough for easy rotation ofthe platform thereabout.

About its outer portion, the platform is supported at equally spacedangular intervals by, and is freely revoluble on rollers 30. Each roller30 is mounted on an axle 31, preferably through the mediacy of suitableantifriction bearings, not herein shown, and the axle is supported atits opposite ends in the opposite side flanges of a substantiallyU-sh'aped mounting bracket 32. These brackets are securely fixed uponthe outer end portions of the arms 10 of the base structure as has beenshown in Figs. 1 and 4. It is to be observed in Fig. 1 that the arms 10of the base structure terminate within the peripheral limits of theplatform 18, and that the rollers 30 are set on the arms well within theedges of the platform in order that there shall be no possibility ofinjury from the rollers to a child grasping the edge portion of the diskwhile it is in rotation.

The standard or rod 13 extends centrally through and about twelve inchesabove the level of the platform 18 and at its upper end is equipped witha circular disk 35 that located table-like handle member fixed to acentral stand- I is about ten inches in diameter. This disk, whichserves as a handle member, has metal disks 36 fixed centrally thereto attop and bottom sides and these disks are formed centrally with squaredholes, as is also the disk, to fit a squared, or unround upper endportion of the standard 13 to hold the disk against rotation. A key 40,or the like, is applied to a hole in the upper end of the standard toengage the top disk 36 thus to hold the disk 35 in position on andagainst rotation on the standard 13.

r 3 Assuiningthe carousel to be so constructed, it is put into use byplacing it on a level lawn, or floor as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. Itcan be occupied by one, or even up to six small children, by theirsitting on the platforrn, The platform can be caused to rotate about thecentral standard by the children merely grasping the rim of the disk andpulling or pushingin proper dirernion The eujoyment of the device is inits use as a rnerry-go-round or by several children as a game in whicheach tries to remain on thelspinning platform longer than the others; itbeing ditficult to remain on the smooth platfiorm when it is rotated.Ordinarily, two or three children can use the present device with themost enjoyment, but it will accommodate more. s One of the importantfeatures of this device resides in the fact that the platform isdisposed relatively close to the gnound, or floor surface,and-therefore, when a child slips off the platform there is littledanger that it will be hurt. i

The present device is characterized by its simplicity; by its ease ofuse; by its unobstructed and smooth surfaced platform that is supportedclose to the groundand extends clear of all understructure that mightcause injury to users or interfere with its intended mode of use. It canbe made in various diameters according to desires, and of variousmaterials.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: A childs rnerry-go-round of thecharacter described comprising, a relatively flat, rigid base structureadapted for disposition upon a supporting surface, a standard fixedrigidly and non-rotatably in the base structure, a disklike turntableequipped at its center with a hole through which the standard extends asa spindle for rotation of the table thereabout, a handhold member ofdisk-like form fixed coaxially to the standard at its upper end, andrelatively close to the turntable, suitable for a child seated on theturntable, and rollers mounted on the base structure beneath the outerperipheral portion of the table, on axles that are radial of thestandard, her the support of the turntable for rotation'thereon; saidturntable extending beyond the radial lirnits of thebase structure andbeing of substantially greater diameter than the handhold memher andformed with'a smooth polished top surface such that a child seatedthereon will slide 011 at a sufiiciently high rotational speed of theturntable.

Refereuces Cited in the file of this pat ent UNITED STATESVPATENTS

